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Words at the Swedish table

Swedish has a melody – a single word can carry two tones. These are the words that keep coming up in Swedish recipes, with a pronunciation hint that follows the sound.

How to read it

sj, skj, stj: A breathy „sh“ far back in the mouth: „sjö“ is almost „hyur“ with air.
k before e, i, y, ä, ö: Softens to „sh“: „kök“ is „shurk“.
g before e, i, y, ä, ö: Becomes a y sound: „gärna“ is „yair-na“.
å: A long o.
Melody: Many words rise and fall within themselves – the singsong is not an accent but meaning.

At the restaurant

Schwedisch	Say it like	Meaning
ursäkta	oor-shek-ta	Excuse me. This is how you get attention.
kan jag få menyn?	kan yah faw meh-newn	The menu, please.
vad rekommenderar du?	vahd reh-ko-men-deh-rar doo	What do you recommend?
notan, tack	noo-tan tahk	The bill, please. „Tack“ does the work of „please“ – and goes at the end.
det smakade jättegott	deh smah-ka-deh yet-teh-got	It tasted very good. „Jätte“ is the Swedish „very“ and attaches to the front of the word.
smaklig måltid	smahk-lig mawl-teed	Enjoy your meal.

At the table

Schwedisch	Say it like	Meaning
fika	fee-ka	A coffee break with something sweet. A verb and an appointment, not a drink: you fika, and you do it together.
smörgåsbord	smur-gos-bord	A cold buffet taken in rounds: herring and fish first, then meat, then cheese – never all on one plate.
lagom	lah-gom	Just right, neither too much nor too little. The Swedish measure for everything, including salt.
kräftskiva	kreft-shee-va	The August crayfish party: boiled crayfish, dill, schnapps and paper hats, outdoors as long as the light holds.

Ingredients

Schwedisch	Say it like	Meaning
lingon	ling-on	Lingonberry. As lingonsylt it sits beside almost any warm dish – not as dessert but as a counterweight.
löjrom	lur-yrom	Roe of the vendace from the Gulf of Bothnia: small orange pearls, the caviar of the north.
kantarell	kan-ta-rell	Chanterelle. In late summer the most sought-after thing in the forest; whoever knows a spot does not tell.
dill	dill	Dill. In Sweden it is not a garnish – it cooks along, in potatoes, crayfish and sauces, and generously.
sylt	sylt	Preserved berries. Not meant for bread but as a sharp companion to salt and fat.

In the kitchen

Schwedisch	Say it like	Meaning
soppa	sop-pa	Soup. kantarellsoppa, blomkålssoppa, ärtsoppa – the base word always comes last.
inlagd	in-lagd	Pickled, in vinegar and sugar. inlagd rödlök is the pickled red onion that turns up everywhere.
sås	sawss	Sauce. hovmästarsås, the „head waiter's sauce“ of mustard and dill, belongs with cured salmon.
kokt	kookt	Boiled. kokta kräftor are crayfish boiled in salted water with dill crowns.